| Meeting 01 • 08 January 2008 • Tuesday |
Version:
1/9/08
|
|
| Today |
|
√ = topic / activity that was adequately dealt with during the class
+ = topic needs more attention & will be resumed at next / subsequent meeting(s)
- = a topic / activity that was proposed but not carried out
Struckthrough text like this = a topic / activity that was proposed but not included is not going to be taken up after all
Italic text like this = comments after the meeting
|
|
Main topic(s): Introduction to Assessment; the FL and AL Cultures |
|
√
|
(5) Welcome. introductions, overview
|
|
√
|
(10) Course explanation: foundations and concepts
|
|
√
|
(20) Ice-breaker activity: Who we are and what experiences of assessment we bring to the course. (Ever "frozen" on an exam?) How non-specialists express their estimates of language skills.
Media clip: Two very ordinary guys talk about tests in college, including a French test use this link to hear the audio clip, or go to my language-related media page to sample the larger collection of such.
|
|
√
|
(30) Group discussions: The difficulties, breadth, and purposes of assessment - rich discussion, but no one mentioned assessment of CULTURE!!
|
|
-
|
(10) Demographic "survey": Instructors' backgrounds and professional interests
|
|
-
|
(10) Demographic survey: participants' previous coursework and work experience; language inventory
|
|
+
|
(10) Course explanation: mechanics
|
|
√
|
(10) Assignments: 1) reading, see the "schedule" page; 2) written assignment #1: reflection about a newspaper article
|
|
-
|
(10) Announcements, debriefing and summation
|
|
| Upcoming class meetings (10 January 2008, Thursday) |
|
10 January 2008, Thursday: discussion of Hughes reading and the Oregonian article; mention of the optional textbooks; the AL and FL "cultures" - differences and similarities; scoring guide for Assignment 1; broader discussion of assessment and grading in the course
|
| Upcoming assignment(s) |
|
This section offers a PREVIEW, not activated assignments. Assignments are made, with announcement of their deadlines, both in class and on the "schedule" page. The next topic (week 2, 15/17 January) is "Language 'gold standards'": ACTFL Guidelines and the TOEFL Test, with some reference to the recently-issued standards and test instruments of the European Union. Also information about where to find other widely-circulated tests. The FL participants will get an assignment that emphasizes ACTFL Guidelines; the AL participants will get one that focuses on the TOEFL. All participants will rate themselves (or someone else) on the ACTFL scale, by comparison to its profiles. All participants will examine items from the TOEFL test.
|
| Announcements |
|
••
|
| Misc. |
|
••
|
| top of page |